Collapsible drinking-cup.



C. METHER.

CQILLAPSIBLE DRINKING CUP.

APPLICATION FILED mmzo, 1912.

$511,, Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

v mm

plains earns ran-nun union.

OASPAR IVIETTLER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO nnsrrun (man,

GUIVIMED &. COATED PAPER COMPANY, OF NASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, A CORPO- RATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

COLLAPSIBLE DRINKING-CUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented pet. a, m le.

Application filed January 20, 1912. Serial No. 672,419.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GASPAR METTLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Drinking-Cups, of which the following is a specification.

My,- invention consists in a collapsible tubular drinking cup having its bottom unsealed whereby it is useless, for retaining a liquid except when the bottom is temporarlly sealed by exterior means, such, for instance, as a cup holding device.

The object of my invention is to produce a drinking cup which will be very inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, amply strong for the purpose intended and which must be used with some exterior means.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic section showing a means for producing the cups, Fig. 2 is an edge view of the cup in its normally collapsed shape, Fig. 3 is a side View of the cup in its normally collapsed form, Fig. 4 is an end view of the cup in its normally collapsed form, and Fig. 5 is a vertical central section through the cup showing means for temporarily sealing the unsealed bottom of the cup and showing the cup distended as in use.

One means for producing the cup is shown in Fig. 1, in which the strip of waxed paper is first wrapped around a mandrel 1' to form a tube. This tube is flattened between rolls 2 and 3 and the overlapping edges at the same time sealed together The flattened tube is then passed between cutting knives l, 5, for cutting the flattened tube into the normally collapsed cups 6 having unsealed bottoms.

In Fig, 5 two jaws 7 and 8, of a holder 9, are shown as holding the cup with its bottom sealed so that the cup will retain a liquid. It will thus be seen that the cup which I produce is 'ineflicient as a container for liquid except when its unsealed bottom is sealed. I

The advantages arising from this construction are many. In the first place, the danger of the cups being stolen when piled up for successive use is reduced to a minimum for the reason that the cups are ineilicient as holders for the liquid. This obviates a disadvantage which is very great at the present time in the use of these drinking cups, which are complete in themselves.

Another great advantage is the great simplicity of the cup and its cheapness, which is extremely advantageous in this art where the cups are used only once and then thrown away.

It is evident that in Fig. 1 only one of many different means is shown for producing the paper tubes, and in Fig. 5 only one of many different means is shown for tem porarily sealing the unsealed bottom of the tube to present a complete cup.

-As hereinbefore stated, the paper of which the tubes are made maybe waxed. In any event, the paper-is water-resistant. Therefore, when the lower end of the tube has the clip or holder 7, 8, 9, connected to it so as to close the lower end of the tube, as shown in Fig. 5, a complete cup is formed having a lower edge which may rest or be supported upon the little finger of the hand of the user, while the other fingers. of the hand close around the upper portion of the;

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein set forth, but

What I claim is A drinking cup comprising a flattened tube of material which is water-resistant, and removable means for closing the lower end of the tube, the upper-portion of the tube being exposed to be inclosed by the hand of the user.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two witnesses, this nineteenth day of January, 1912.

OASPAR METTLER.

Witnesses:

F. Gnonon BARRY, HENRY C. THInMn. 

